Tar Pit Promo Piece?

[mynameisbrent]

Here's another question. (And this time I looked on Trevor's site first, but didn't see any mention of it.) Around 1980 I was in a small hobby shop and asked if they happened to have any PS kits. The owner said no, but then he told me to wait a second, and he went in back. He came out with a built-up Tar Pit. The parts had been glued together, and it had a professional quality airbrushed paint job. It was in excellent condition except it was missing the vulture. He told me it was a promotional piece from Aurora. He told me I could have it if I wanted it. I really didn't have any use for an incomplete Tar Pit, but I accepted it and thanked him for it.

So what does anyone think? Could it have been an actual Aurora advertising/promotional piece? And no, I don't still have it. I think my mom sold it at a garage sale, like lots of my childhood stuff.

[TAY666]

Doubtful.
Think someone would have heard about something like that. Especially since there was already a display for the first wave kits.
It was probably a built kit that the store had used as a display piece.
I've seen pics of several other kits (trex comes to mind) with similar stories attached to them.
None looked like actual promotional pieces though.
There are several things to look for when trying to determine if something was factory built.
Using the actual plastic color for a good portion of the 'paint'. Use of paint masks, to speed up the process. And the way they were glued.

[mynameisbrent]

Thanks for the info. I always doubted the validity of the story. But it was free, so I couldn't really complain.